The problem is when you trade the mid-career guys, as you put it, who are you trading them for, and what are you getting back in return? If you had made some moves over the summer, that would have been a successful idea. Right now, teams are up against the cap, or are spending to their own internal budget (Carolina, NJ, etc.). I know you want to get something in return for those guys, and right now they are a very good team, but not a good enough team to make a Cup run. A re-tool is needed, I agree, but it's hard to trade out big contracts when other teams don't really have the money to fit them into their salary structure.
If they struggle again this postseason, look for Fenton to make some moves this summer.

Honestly, I think you have to. You heard the whistle go. It could be checking from behind or boarding. I didn't see, but is Carrick hurt? I think a fine or a couple game suspension is needed. I'm down with the rough stuff after the whistle, but that was a penalty during play if you ask me.

Here's the thing: we don't really know what happened. I read an article that said he shoved her in public, and the police had to charge him with so many witnesses, even though his wife (gf?) didn't want to press charges. Look, he did a really stupid thing. Don't hurt anyone, especially the women you care about. I think he deserves to sit for a bit, and if the NHL thinks 27 games is what it takes, I'm fine with that.
Not sure if there is a thread for this, but we need to not compare the Slava Voynov thing to this. Watson (allegedly) shoved his wife, she tripped, and fell to the ground. No bruises, no broken bones, not scars. I am by no means saying that that is acceptable, but Voynov almost killed his wife... He should be out of this country for good, not just not allowed to play in the NHL.

@Haliax @yave1964
I think you are selling these guys a little short. Sure, they made the money in the contracts, but I would bet money that Hossa and Zetterberg would keep playing if their bodies let them. At some point, you body breaks down and you can’t do the things you use to be able to do. Both are character guys. They would play through their entire contracts if they could. They aren’t Kovalchuk, etc. who only signed for the money and then left when they didn’t like what was going on.

But the injury history has to be taken into account. And the Cups. You’re saying Karlsson is the better player, I agree. But he hasn’t achieved the same things as Doughty. If you are basing the deal strictly on talent, Karlsson should get more. If you are taking everything else into account, they are a more even footing.
If he’s staying in SJ, I have to imagine it’s around the Doughty deal. 11.5. Maybe 12. But he doesn’t get more than McDavid. I will agree he could set the denfensemen market, but the Doughty deal is a starting point.

A money move or a roster move? I agree, the could use the cap space (which they doubled with the trade), but when you have Krug, Chara, McAvoy, Carlo, Miller, Grzelyck as your top 6, that's pretty good. Maybe if McQuiad stayed healthier, they would have considered trading some else. Oh, and they just brought in John Moore for basically the same money, and he is a little bit more durable. I think you move on from a guy who was going to sit in the press box a lot, and take the added cap space.
His deal is up after this season, so it's not like it helps them resign one of the kids or something. This seems like a straight up roster spot move, maybe with the idea they can bring in another player with the cap space (Erik Karlsson was traded two days later, and they could have fit him in with their cap situation).

From a Sharks perspective, I want him there for the next couple of years. The window is open, but not for a long time. I think we have a legit shot at making a run for the next two season before Burns and Couture start slowing down. You can only get Karlsson on a long term deal. If he fits well, and he wants to stay, bring him back for as long as he wants. Anything around $11,000,000 AAV would be okay. Depends how the cap moves in the next couple years, but you could dump players like Melker or Justin Braun to make space.